Out of the Flames
by opportunity knocked
Summary: This is my first publish, be kind. Using The Walking Dead characters, but they may look different, or act different. I took settings we know and made them my own. Riley is telling her story of life after the apocalypse. No zombies here, but also no sun. Her story intertwines with the men we love and the women we want to be friends with. Oh, and it's gonna get sexy with one man
1. Chapter 1

_**This is my take on some of The Walking Dead characters and plots. I do not own anything. Please don't be too harsh on me as this is the first time I have ever posted. I have several other stories and themes I would like to share… but we'll start with this. You will notice that i took many liberties with characters and plots. Who wants to re-write a story we already know, right? Enjoy.**_

Breath rushed to escape my lungs. Rushed to escape his lungs. Our hearts pounded a harmonic rhythm in the sweat and exhaustion filled air. The scratchy tickle of his leg hair against my smooth skin was welcoming. It made me feel more alive. I couldn't find any words to say, so I lay still gathering myself one gasp at a time.

4 months earlier…

"Shane, what the fuck are you doing?" I stomped my way through the tilled earth toward the brut.

Shane stood at 6'2" with dark and brooding eyes. He hated me, not sure he cared much more for the others in our group. But, he hated me.

Those dark eyes turned toward me, his body remained still and showed no sign that he cared I was coming. Then, he bent over again. Picked up a piglet and slit its throat while it squealed in terror.

"Noooo, Shane! No, stop!" I shouted and began to run. He couldn't be this stupid. Those piglets would in no time at all have grown to full size hogs. Big enough to feed us all for months if handled right.

I reached him and threw the weight of my body against his, attempting to tackle him to the ground. My body just hit a brick wall. Sure, he budged and was unbalanced, but it was I who ended up on the shit and blood covered dirt.

"Get away from me girl." His boot connected with my side rolling me over. He didn't kick me to do damage, just to push me aside even more. He reached for another piglet and that was all I could take. I lunged at his knees and was able to take him down. The piglet ran to the corner of the tiny pen and Shane and I were wrestling on the ground. He wasn't trying to hurt me, just detain me. But I wasn't having any of that. I was pissed and wanted to do whatever I could to stop him.

"Shane, listen to me. You can't do this." I knew my green eyes were flashing with my rage and desperation. "We need them." Shane's body rose above mine and pinned my arms to the sides of my head. I was stuck. My long, brown hair was plastered to the sides of my face. My back and legs were sinking into the cold earth. In the stinking pen, my dignity began to slip away as I knew I had lost. He had bested me and would if he wanted kill every last animal we scrounged together.

His weight was lifted off of me and I saw that Rick had joined us. Shane and Rick had been partners before the planet died and the tension between them was for some time now proving that without structure and order, their friendship was not going to work.

Rick threw Shane aside with what I'm sure was all of his force. Because even though Rick was in amazing shape, Shane still had him by 2 inches and about 30 lbs of bulk.

"What do you think you're doing? Why were you fighting? She's a woman you asshole!" Rick shouted to Shane as the latter gained his footing and stood menacingly glaring at me.

Shane didn't answer Rick, he didn't have an answer. He didn't understand why I had attacked him. All he was doing was feeding his group. His people. Then he saw a crazy woman running at him. He thought I was always up his ass. Never took my watchful eye off of him.

Since we joined groups a year ago I had apprehensions about him. Rick was a part of my group and Shane was in the other. When we joined there was much to celebrate. Families were back together, friends and yes, co-workers. It was clear to myself and everybody else there was going to be a battle for leadership. Many sided with Rick, but there were enough that sided with Shane to keep his ego inflated enough to try stunts like this.

"Rick, we need to eat. We can't wait. I was going to leave three. Three will be enough."

"Shane, three is not enough, we need them to breed. And not to mention the size. You just cost us hundreds of pounds of meat. We could've waited. Daryl is out hunting right now." Rick surveyed the scene. Shane had slaughtered 3 pigs and was onto the 4th. Blood covered the ground and when he glanced in my direction saw that i was also spotted with blood. "Did you hurt her? Riley, did he hurt you?"

"No." Shane and I spoke at the same time, his voice defiant, mine subdued.

"He's just a prick." I knew Rick had this handled so I left. I knew what I looked like walking away. I am 5'10", not very skinny, but more muscular. I liked how clothes fit my curves. Only now I knew that the men were probably watching me leave because I was filthy, not sexy. Not that I cared, but I was embarrassed to be leaving in such a state.

I wanted Rick to stand up to Shane and finally show him who the real man in charge was around here. Knowing it would never happen, I nevertheless left them to hash it out however they could.

As I walked through the pasture I thought about days that used to be. On a day like today the sun would no doubt be shining and the birds chirping, rabbits would be digging in the gardens and kids playing in the yard.

Not today, probably not again in my lifetime. The sun was forever hidden by thick clouds of ash and dirt. It was very dry now and difficult to grow crops. The cows have had to be slaughtered and used for their meat because we ran out of feed for them. What little grew in the gardens I passed, needed to be consumed by us. Children need their veggies after all.

I didn't mind this new world. It was a world for survivors. There was no more electricity, no more running water. Well, for us there was because my group ended up with some intelligent people. Lucky us. They were able to get the wells pumping water over 3 very large wheels that generated electricity. We had many rolling brown outs when people tried stretching it too far. But hey, we had something.

We had to fight for what we wanted, and not always in the figurative sense. We would from time to time find a group of unwanteds at our gates. Some would just go away when we told them we didn't have enough space, food or water for all of them. Others, attempted to challenge our camp and so far have all been unsuccessful. Farmers are more heavily armed than I ever imagined. We came here with our own guns and weapons… but these farm folk, whew. Anybody who challenged us only had to get a glimpse of our weaponry and they soon backed down. With the exception of twice. But I don't want to think about fights anymore just now.

I loved our little plot of land. And also knew not to take it for granted as most of the planet looked like the result of a war zone. Heavy fog of black, no green in sight. Death. I needed to protect this place, and if assholes like Shane couldn't see the whole picture, see the long run… well, something would need to be done with him.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

I found solace walking by myself. Knowing in the woods I was never really alone, especially if Daryl was out hunting. He could be anywhere. As I walked I took in all the sounds and smells. Sometimes I wish I just lived out here by myself. Not having anybody else to worry about would be wonderful, but also I know that I have a better life because of many of those people too. No way could I have found a way to generate electricity.

I didn't stay out too long and was back in time for dinner. There was a pecan tree that i passed on my way back to the farm, so I loaded my t-shirt with the tasty nuts. Who said I didn't know how to share?

Arriving back at the camp was immediately alarming, it was very chaotic. There were people being carried from Tentville up to the house. Other's were gathering belongings and racing ahead. Parents were pushing crying children into tents and covering their mouths and noses like that would somehow help.

The flu hit fast and it hit hard. It swept through and took out 20 people. That is half of our camp. Hershel did his best to accommodate all the sick bodies lying around. Even though his farm house was a large 16 room home, most of those rooms were parlors and sitting rooms and a breakfast nook. All now littered with pale, weak people. I tried to stay clear of any of the sick as I have always been known to have a weak immune system. Something that always bothered me. I hated having such a weakness. As a child I would not always be the first to come down with something, but if the flu or cold was making its way through friends and family it always stopped to set up shop in my body.

As I am usually more comfortable by myself than around people, I was able to avoid the flu this time around. I stayed far away from anybody who had a cough or even a sniffle.

Maggie and Beth, Hershel's daughters were of the biggest help. They cooked for and cared for all of the ill. Nothing seemed to phase them. I thought differently about the farm girls… especially Beth after their constant vigil over the sick. The others did non-stop loads of laundry to keep everything clean and germ free while anybody else available took on the extra work around the farm.

I was out by the edge of the farm along the woods chopping up firewood when he approached me. His lumbering size was fierce and determined.

I hit the axe into the chopping log and waited for him to say something.

"You and I are going into town." Was all he said.

"Is that so?"

"Yes, let's get going." I didn't move. I just stood where I was with my hands on my hips. He was going to give me more information if he thought I was going to go off anywhere alone with him. My last encounter with Shane was not a pleasant one and right now I would rather snuggle up in bed with somebody who had the flu than go off somewhere alone with Shane.

"Riley, we have to get medicine. Hershel said there is a drug store in town and we have to at least try. You don't want all the mouths to feed dying on us do you?" Oh he was so snarky. Of course he wasn't the least bit disturbed when half the camp came down ill. He wouldn't care if we had to bury them. Like he said, less mouths to feed.

"Let's go then. Hopefully there is still medicine left. It's been a while." I thought there was no way in hell that there would be anything left in the small town drug store. We had to try though, this really is our only hope.

Shane drove Hershel's truck and I was on the lookout. All of the store fronts were getting more and more difficult to recognize. The graffiti and vandalism had done its toll.

"Shane, look! The drug store!" There it was. A small town drug store with all the windows smashed and a pot leaf painted in green all across the front of the building.

His face fell at the sight. But to his credit he didn't give up. We agreed that even though it was clearly ransacked, we had to try. Maybe there would still be some medicine left.

Upon entering the store it was very obvious what people were after. Food. All of the food shelves were striped. And, because the windows were smashed maybe that's what kept everybody else away. The pharmacy was full. Almost untouched.

"This is unbelievable. People are so stupid." Shane remarked as he loaded his backpack with as many bottles as he could. "I'm taking all of these just in case."

I agreed and stocked up as well. I grabbed some of the glass bottles that look promising, one of them being morphine. I also grabbed some hygiene products like shampoo, toothpaste and tampons. The ladies will love me. I smiled to myself.

"What are you smiling about?" He was right in front of me. So close. I couldn't believe he had gotten that close to me without me noticing. "I never see you smile." He tried to return a smile but on Shane it was more of a sneer.

"Not much to smile about I guess." I stuffed a small box of q tips into my bag and moved away from him. Pretending I was looking for more supplies so it wouldn't appear like i was cowering away from him. But he gave me the creeps.

"Why don't you like me?" What? What a stupid question.

"Shane, we don't like each other. It's just one of those things. Can we just finish up here and get back home?"

"Home? Sweetheart, that's not your home. That is some strangers farm that we are crashing at. Hell, we don't even get to sleep inside. Home? No girl, that's not home." He moved closer. "No creature comforts, ya know?"

"I feel comfortable enough there. It's like a long camping trip."

"So honest. That I'll give ya. You are always so honest. Tell it like it is." Shane's eyes changed, it's like he saw me differently. I knew that look, I'm 27 years old, I've seen that look enough times on a man to know what it means.

"Shane, we should really just keep collecting what we need and get back. People are counting on us." I moved away from him again. This is becoming a game of cat and mouse. I needed to stop coming off as prey. Guys like Shane thrive on that behavior.

"How long has it been since you've had a boyfriend?" One of his eyebrows cocked up in a gentle arch. Was he trying to be cute?

"What a stupid question that is. And it's none of your business. We already addressed the issue that we don't really care for each other, so can we just keep on track here?" I looked at him now, trying to let him know that this conversation is over. He didn't get it.

"Ok so, we don't need to talk about your love life." He threw his hands up in surrender with a grin. Then his face darkened and he took two steps toward me. "When was the last time you got laid?"

I audibly showed my annoyance, huffing heavily. "Not sharing that information either."

"Come on Riley. We're adults. We already can't stand each other, so there's no room for awkwardness afterwards, no relationship hassels. Let's just scratch an itch and be done with it."

"What has gotten into you? You're being crazy." I tried to busy myself again with the shelves but Shane had thrown me off my game. This wasn't normal for us to be talking like this… or at all. But I needed him to know that there was no chance I would budge on this issue. "I know that Andrea has her eye on you, go bark up that tree." I slung my backpack over my shoulder and turned my back on him to leave. Showing that I could without being intimidated. "I am going to be of no assistance to you in that area."

"I don't want Andrea, I don't want a relationship. I just wanna fuck. Come on, look at me, it's not like it would be torture." He motioned to his well sculpted body. Yeah, he was fine. No doubt a roll in the hay, er, the drug store, would not be disappointing. But hell to the fucking no.

At this I laughed… is it possible we are having a human conversation? I spun around to look at him again. I very clearly looked him up and down with an approving grin. I stopped at his eyes.

"The packaging is lovely Shane, it's the inside that's rotten. No thanks. Now can we please get back to hating each other and get the hell out of here?" There, that settled it.

"You're a real bitch you know that?" The words were harsh, but the tone was gentle.

"Sure do, now let's go."

Shane and I having that brief moment of awkwardness was good for me in the end. Because I felt like it settled something between us once and for all. No secrets or guessing about it. We didn't like each other. It is somewhat comforting to not have to pretend any longer. We can now co-exist without having to make the attempt to get along.

The way Shane saw our interaction had a completely different effect on him. He now saw it as a personal challenge to get me into bed. He thought he'd even try being nice if he had to. But he thought he knew me now and the way to get to me would be honesty. Time will tell.


End file.
